K12 Absence Management Resources | Red Rover Blog

More Than 400 School Districts Have Chosen Red Rover for Absence Management

Written by Red Rover | August 11, 2021

We get it—modern school districts are facing a lot of uncertainty these days. Fear of the unknown, reluctance to change, and budgetary issues prevent schools from leaving behind their dated absence management software. These districts are often stuck in "survival mode,” which leaves them hesitant about implementing and learning a new software system. But fear not; there’s light at the end of the tunnel! More than 400 school districts across the country have turned to Red Rover for their absence management and time tracking needs—and that number is only growing!

Ridiculously easy to implement and use, Red Rover was built with the K-12 administrator's perspective in mind. That’s why hundreds of school districts across the nation are using this absence management system to meet their needs, bring in more substitute teachers, and track employee time.

Red Rover has the ability to integrate with payroll, business, and HR software, so it understands the unique needs of each district. That’s why its many features can be tailored to fit different situations. A free app helps attract and maintain subs, while new, innovative features are released each week based on customer feedback.

“Red Rover solved so many difficulties for us, and now we can handle functions with just a simple click. I love it!”
- Sarah Swafford, Human Resource Coordinator, Kalamazoo Public Schools

A New Way to Manage Absences

Why are hundreds of school districts switching to Red Rover? Well, modern problems—from the COVID-19 pandemic and early teacher retirements to an increasing need for qualified subs and gig economy demands—require modern solutions. Outdated, slow absence management strategies just won’t cut it anymore! At Red Rover, helping districts manage employee absences and time tracking is our main focus. We are dedicated to the mission of placing the best educator in every classroom every day.

Here are four reasons why more than 400 U.S. school districts (and counting!) have switched to Red Rover:

1. Personal Customer Support and Quick Implementation

It’s not easy to get a new software program up and running. It can be even more difficult to encourage staff members to use it! Red Rover provides regular training and in-depth video tutorials to help staff members and administrators learn new features. This includes hands-on assistance with the onboarding process to ensure it works seamlessly with your school’s current software. 

A helpful and responsive customer support team guarantees short wait times and fast answers through live chat and on the phone. 

“Red Rover helped us make the transition in only a few weeks, and it was totally worth it!”
- Todd Wilkinson, Student Services/Facility Scheduling, Lake Fenton Community Schools

2. Comprehensive Support and Training for Substitute Teachers

A substitute teacher’s first day at a new school can be nerve-wracking! Let Red Rover ease their mind with in-depth descriptions, guides, instructions, and a map of the school’s layout that displays building and classroom details as well as the locations of other important areas, such as the cafeteria and teachers’ lounge.

Our partnerships with STEDI.com and SubstantialClassrooms.org can help subs with professional development opportunities, teaching them how to respond to classroom issues such as attendance or behavioral problems. 

“We’ve gone from having days when we had to scramble to find coverage before Red Rover to a 100 percent fill rate since our go-live.”
- Carla Norwood, Human Resource Coordinator, Berrien RESA

3. Constant Evolution to Meet the Challenges Faced by Your District

Red Rover provides easy, seamless ways to manage subs, placing them in the right classrooms. Red Rover also offers ID validation based on experience and credentials, modern and quick communication tools, the ability to contact subs in real time, and more! 

Teacher callouts? No problem. Send text message alerts in real time to a selected pool of substitute teaching candidates using Red Rover’s app. 

New substitute teacher starting on Monday? Great! Send them a welcome packet that includes important district details, such as parking instructions, a map of the school’s layout, lesson plans, and more. 

Have a suggestion that could make Red Rover better? We want to hear it! New updates based on customer feedback are rolled out weekly.

4. Time and Money Savings

Even prior to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the overall cost of teacher and faculty health insurance, benefits, pensions, and retirement accounts was on the rise, leaving less money in a district’s budget for payroll or absence management needs. Red Rover saves districts time, money, and valuable resources that can be spent elsewhere, with some districts reporting up to a 40 percent cost reduction. 

Red Rover’s time tracking software can also help prevent the difficult issue of time fraud, which was recently discovered in Pennsylvania and Arizona school districts. Time fraud can be extremely difficult to detect but can cost districts thousands of dollars by paying employees for hours they haven’t worked or uncompleted tasks.

Come On Over

Are you ready to join more than 400 U.S. school districts that are saving time, money, and resources with Red Rover? Contact us today for a free consultation!